DC’s mask mandate is back

Vaccinated or not, ready or not, masks are back in vogue in the District. Because of the rapid spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus, DC is requiring masks in indoor settings starting at 5 a.m. Saturday, July 31st. (Here’s Mayor Bowser’s order. And here’s more about it from The Washington Post.)

And as Van Ness Main Street notes: “The mandate applies to all businesses, including but not limited to restaurants, retailers, gyms, salons, and offices. For restaurants, indoor dining may continue but patrons must wear masks except while actively eating or drinking.”

Be prepared to wear a mask also at recently-opened local attractions:

Not that masks were really out of style here to begin with. As we’ve observed, our neighbors have continued to mask up at places of business, making exceptions mostly for dining out.

Local businesses have not stopped offering options for customers who wish to order ahead for quick and curbside pickup. Calvert Woodley is one. Little Red Fox is another.